CORPUS CHRISTI - A Corpus Christi police officer has been found not guilty of child molestation Wednesday.
Ruben Ramirez, 33, was accused of sexually assaulting a former girlfriend's daughter several years ago.
However, it only took the jury a little more than two hours to come back with a not guilty verdict.
The 14-year-old who claimed Ramirez stuck his hand down her pants numerous times when she was nine described the abuse as "wedgies".
When Ramirez took the stand this week, one of the first things he talked about was the "wedgie" he gave her and why.
He said they were watching the movie Caddyshack 2, where Randy Quaid offered to give another character a wedgie while putting.
"During the movie, Randy Quaid's character asks, 'Have you ever putted with a wedgie?' ****** turns to me and said 'What's a wedgie?' I'm thinking, she's nine-years-old, me and my brother gave each other wedgies when we were kids. I said, 'You've never had a wedgie before?' and she goes, 'No.' I said, 'Stand up'. She stood up, I grabbed the back of her pants, and lifted them straight up," Ramirez stated.
"And that was the extent of it?" the attorney asked Ramirez.
Ramirez replied, "That was the extent of it."
Ramirez said the claims of sexual assault just aren't true.
He broke up with the girl's mother because she didn't want any more kids and he did. However, for a while, he still hung out with the kids and said their relationship was always good.
"Can you think of any reason why she would come in here and go through this?" the prosecutor asked Ramirez.
"You'd have to ask her. I have no clue," he answered.
At the end of his testimony, Ramirez's own attorney quietly walked over and showed just how large his hands were, hoping to prove that it was physically impossible to get his hands into the girl's pants.
It took the jury less than three hours to come back with the not guilty verdict.
Afterward, Ramirez said he's relieved and happy the judicial system worked.
"Personally, I have to believe in the system. I was always a part of the system and I always had to focus on that, and I knew that the truth would actually come out," Ramirez stated.
He has already appealed his termination from the city.
The Police Officers Association said that an arbitration hearing will be held in late October. At that time, an independent arbitrator will decide if he should be reinstated and entitled to back pay from the city.
Online Reporter: Bart Bedsole
Ruben Ramirez, 33, was accused of sexually assaulting a former girlfriend's daughter several years ago.
However, it only took the jury a little more than two hours to come back with a not guilty verdict.
The 14-year-old who claimed Ramirez stuck his hand down her pants numerous times when she was nine described the abuse as "wedgies".
When Ramirez took the stand this week, one of the first things he talked about was the "wedgie" he gave her and why.
He said they were watching the movie Caddyshack 2, where Randy Quaid offered to give another character a wedgie while putting.
"During the movie, Randy Quaid's character asks, 'Have you ever putted with a wedgie?' ****** turns to me and said 'What's a wedgie?' I'm thinking, she's nine-years-old, me and my brother gave each other wedgies when we were kids. I said, 'You've never had a wedgie before?' and she goes, 'No.' I said, 'Stand up'. She stood up, I grabbed the back of her pants, and lifted them straight up," Ramirez stated.
"And that was the extent of it?" the attorney asked Ramirez.
Ramirez replied, "That was the extent of it."
Ramirez said the claims of sexual assault just aren't true.
He broke up with the girl's mother because she didn't want any more kids and he did. However, for a while, he still hung out with the kids and said their relationship was always good.
"Can you think of any reason why she would come in here and go through this?" the prosecutor asked Ramirez.
"You'd have to ask her. I have no clue," he answered.
At the end of his testimony, Ramirez's own attorney quietly walked over and showed just how large his hands were, hoping to prove that it was physically impossible to get his hands into the girl's pants.
It took the jury less than three hours to come back with the not guilty verdict.
Afterward, Ramirez said he's relieved and happy the judicial system worked.
"Personally, I have to believe in the system. I was always a part of the system and I always had to focus on that, and I knew that the truth would actually come out," Ramirez stated.
He has already appealed his termination from the city.
The Police Officers Association said that an arbitration hearing will be held in late October. At that time, an independent arbitrator will decide if he should be reinstated and entitled to back pay from the city.
Online Reporter: Bart Bedsole
